Duki Duki
by Mitsuko Maxwell
Summary: AU, Set in modern times....Kagome, Inu Yasha, and Kanna are normal people living in Tokyo. They take the same train for three years, but never speak to each other. BUt Kagome wants to change all that.


Disclaimer: The stuff isn't mine. Not even the idea. Boy, I'm one sad puppy. I got the plot from an independent movie.  
  
Duki Duki  
  
Kagome lived in modern Tokyo. She lived by herself in a small, one bedroom, and one bathroom apartment. She had an office job, that she sometimes feared would swallow her whole life and leave her empty as the wind chimes hanging on her bedroom window. All in all, she led a normal life.  
  
And, like the average, fresh-out-of-college office worker, she had to commute. She took the 8:30 train from Station A-4. She had taken that train for almost three years, with the same ten people every day. In all of the three years, she had never spoken a single word other than the occasional "Excuse me," or "Pardon me," to any of those people.  
  
But, again, that was normal. Who ever talks to strangers, even though you see each other every day?  
  
But that doesn't mean Kagome didn't study them. She studied people everywhere; she liked to pretend that she was a detective sometimes. She kept a little notebook, where she put her notes on the people she saw. She took special notes on the people she took the train with. She had learned a lot about those people, simply by studying them, and observing their changes and behaviors.  
  
For example, was an old lady, Kagome liked to call the 'Madame,' because she was always well dressed, and always seemed to be going somewhere important or special. She seemed to love candied dates, because she always had a little bag of them in her purse, and sometimes she would dip her hand into it, and eat a few.  
  
There was also the 'Salesman' who read young men comics, and always wanted privacy. Kagome thought that either he or his wife was absent minded, because sometimes his socks didn't match.  
  
There were other people she had named like that, 'Artist', 'Mother and Child.' She kept notes on them, wondered about their lives, but she never thought about them past the train. There were only two people that she knew their names, Kanna, a high school girl who always had her headphones on, and Inu Yasha, a young black haired man who always wore a crisp business suit.  
  
Kagome thought that if she ever talked to Kanna, she would like her. Kanna wore her hair short, and out of her face, with a little rat-tail in the back. She wore her uniform skirt long, and Kagome noticed that she experimented with her socks, (slouch socks, lacy cuff, knee high, ankle high, and once even, no socks.) She seemed to Kagome to be like her, when she was in high school. From the way Kanna kept her head down always, avoiding eye contact, Kagome knew that she was afraid of strangers, and shy. Kagome also knew that Kanna wasn't well liked with the other girls who sometimes took the train. Once, when Kanna was unable to find a spot to sit, she had stood in front of two girls, who were chatting quietly with each other. Across from them, Kagome had seen the girls look up at Kanna, and move their bags onto the empty space near them, returning to their conversation as if Kanna wasn't there. Kanna had slowly turned around, a dead look on her small face.  
  
The only time Kagome ever saw Kanna smile was when Kagome had blown bubbles while waiting for the train. Kagome had bought them that morning, imagining the way the shimmery bubbles would look in the drab light of the terminal. She had smiled when she was blowing them, aiming for Kanna. She had looked up from the floor, and followed the bubbles to Kagome, who smiled warmly at her. Kanna had smiled back nervously, and looked quickly back down, but Kagome had seen the smile still there.  
  
Sometimes, Kagome thought about Kanna at home, when she was petting her large orange cat. She thought about how she felt when she was in high school, with cruel students, and indifferent teachers.  
  
The other one, Inu Yasha, always sat across from Kagome, a book in front of his calm face. He always had a book from Kagome's favorite author, which Kagome took as a good sign. His hair was longer than average, shoulder length, and his eyes were a pleasant brown. Kagome knew he was always willing to give up his seat for elderly ladies, and she knew he didn't like the noise the train made when it stopped because he clenched his knee with one hand every time. She thought that he cared for his family very much, calling a sick relative for a whole week.  
  
Kagome remembered him from her pre-school. Her mother had pictures of Kagome as a young girl, and in most of them is a young Inu Yasha, in the background, or sometimes standing right next to Kagome. She sometimes thought about how funny that was, the two of them together for one year, and then separated for the rest of their lives, only to be reunited by the train station.  
  
Kagome sometimes found herself thinking of how his lips moved to the side when he was concentrating at her work. And she often described how his hands seemed to be both gentle and strong to her cat, which only stared at her in return. She took two pictures of him with her phone camera, and posted them on her wall next to her bed. In both of them he is reading a book, the cute look of concentration on his face.  
  
Once, she dreamt she and him were at a festival, watching the fireworks together. They were both laughing and pointing up at the bright night sky. They stood side by side, turning around and around to get the full effect of all the fireworks. In Kagome's dream, their hands gently brushed each other's and then Inu Yasha held her hand, looking at her with love in his eyes while she still watched the sky. Kagome had woken up with a smile on her face, and the faint dream memory of his hand holding hers.  
  
The only time Kagome had ever seen Inu Yasha outside of the train was during a brief summer job. She offered fliers for a new restaurant, wearing a blonde wig, and asking passing people, "Please take one."  
  
She had seen him coming from far away, her eyes automatically picking out his shoulders and distinct walk. Her voice had frozen for a moment, the flier dropping from her hand. She was instantly crouching, fixing her skirt, and checking her wig. She stood up just in time to stop him.  
  
She had smiled timidly, and offered him a flier. "Please, take one." He took one, his fingers grazing hers when he took it from her. She had smiled widely when he left, the smile lasting until she went to bed.  
  
Another time, on the train again, Kanna was forced to stand up in front of Inu Yasha. Behind her, was a tall middle aged man. He scratched his nose, and looked both ways, before moving his hand slowly down, touching Kanna. Kanna had at first moved her head back, Kagome thought in surprise. When the man had continued touching her, moving his hand down to her butt, touching more firmly as he went, Kanna went rigid. Kagome could see her face, her eyes were so sad; she looked like she was going to cry. The man kept touching her, and Kagome was frozen, unable to move in shock.  
  
But Inu Yasha had just looked up from his book. He saw the man's hand, and he saw the expression on Kanna's face. For a brief moment, Kagome saw he froze as well. But it moved on quickly to a look of anger, and disgust. He stood up, and moved between the two, moving Kanna into his spot. He stood face to face with the man, the disgust visible on his face. The man looked ashamed, and then moved away, towards another car. Kagome noted the look of relief on Kanna's face, and how Inu Yasha looked down to her, and nodded when he saw no tears.  
  
After that incident, Kagome began to think of Inu Yasha more often, until she began to get in trouble at work.  
  
Sometimes, Kagome thought that maybe she would just explode and stand up on the train.  
  
~~ "I can't take it anymore! Inu Yasha, I need you!" She stands in front of him, her face full of expectation. Everyone on the train slowly look up at her, watching. Inu Yasha looks up from his book last, and he looks shocked, amazed, confused. ~~  
  
But everyday, she simply watches him through the crowd of torsos, smiling and looking away every now and then.  
  
When the train suddenly lurches, a calm male voice comes over the intercom. "Attention passengers, there is an obstruction blocking the path. Normal procedures shall begin again in thirty minutes."  
  
Many people go that way. Some are adults, who are unable to take the crowds or pressures of Tokyo. And some are high school students, depressed, unable to look past the obstacle that's ahead of them, also unable to handle the pressures of their high schools. Kagome's father was one of those people.  
  
In order to dissuade people from jumping into the trains' paths, the company sends a large bill to the deceased family, charging them for the money wasted, the workers it took to clear the obstruction, and other things.  
  
Kagome takes the time to observe the others, noting how the 'Madame' seems ill, and the 'Mother' seems happier than normal since the 'Child' is not here. The calm silence of the train is broken by the merry jingle of Kagome's cell phone. She pulls it hurriedly out of her shoulder bag, seeing she has a text message waiting for her.  
  
'Boss says you're late for the last time. Don't bother coming; you're fired. -Megu'  
  
Kagome looks up from her phone and peeks over to Inu Yasha. He looks up at her, and the train suddenly starts. Kanna looks dead to the world, her music still audible from her headphones. Kagome smiles at her when she looks up, and Kanna gives her a tiny smile back.  
  
The train stops, and the doors slowly open, letting the people free. Inu Yasha stands up quickly, heads for the door. Suddenly determined, 'this is the day' Kagome scribbles a note onto her notebook, rips it out, and folds it into a little red bag containing a bottle of bubbles. "Here" Kagome puts it onto Kanna's lap with a small smile. She hurries out the door, leaving Kanna confused.  
  
Kagome watches Inu Yasha head for the escalator, and follows a little behind, keeping her eyes on him. She follows him through the train station, out into the public. He stops at a corner, waiting for the light, like a hundred other people. Kagome is two people behind him, wondering what am I doing? Should I talk to him now? She moves one person aside, but the light turns and Inu Yasha crosses the street, Kagome right behind.  
  
Kanna walks to her school, the little red bag in her hand. A block away, she stops, and looks down at her hands. She opens the bag and read the folded paper.  
  
"We make our own destiny."  
  
She looks in the bag and finds a bottle of bubbles. She looks up and remembers the day when she brought the bubbles; she remembers how funny she thought they looked bubbles at the train station. She puts the paper in the bag, and the bag into her backpack, moving forward again to her school.  
  
Kagome watches from behind a light pole as Inu Yasha steps into a grocery store. She eats a few candy drops while she watches him tying an apron around himself. He sets up a display case in front of the store, putting cell phones into pockets. She munches on the red candies, he's a cell phone salesman? Watching him ask people walking by to stop, come inside; look at his phones, much better than the ones they have now.  
  
Finally, Inu Yasha steps back into the store, returning with his jacket on again, bowing his thanks to the store owners. Kagome picks up her bag again, and follows him, making sure to stay a little behind.  
  
He walks to a nearby temple, a beautiful fountain of water in the middle of a peaceful lake. He sits down on a bench, and takes out a sketchpad from his briefcase. Kagome wonders if he is a very good artist from behind a tree a few feet away. She munches on her candy while he takes out a lunch, and eats.  
  
Kagome walks toward him, I can do this, just go over there and talk to him. She turns around quickly and hides behind the tree. Get over your shyness, just go say hi, just sit next to him, she steps out from behind the tree.  
  
A woman, a beautiful woman is smiling at him, sitting next to him, and talking to him. They are talking, and he is smiling at her, while she is talking. Kagome moves back behind her tree, watching.  
  
Kanna is walking a little behind a group of four boys and one girl. The girl looks back and sneers at Kanna. "What is Kanna doing here, Miriko? Kanna never ditches." She asks a nearby boy, who shrugs his shoulders.  
  
"She has money, and she wanted to come along." The group accepts that, and laughs, Kanna moving farther and farther behind them.  
  
"-And get me an ice cream."  
  
"I want a hamburger and fries."  
  
"And ask for ten smiles, Kanna!"  
  
The group shoos Kanna off with their orders, and she goes, her face that of a doll, calm, unmoving, dead.  
  
The group whispers. "Does Kanna think just because she's with us, she's cool? Does she think this automatically makes her cool?"  
  
He girl speaks up. "We should leave her here! Let's go!" The group gathers their things and leave, giggling and laughing.  
  
Soon after, Kanna returns with their orders. She sees the empty table, and stops, lowering the tray slowly, until it falls from her hands. Her face is still a doll's.  
  
Cut to Kanna, sitting alone on a curb, looking at the words on the paper Kagome gave her. She smiles slightly, and looks up at the sound of her name. A boy, older than her, with a group of other boys behind him is calling her. "Hey Kanna! Itsukake just saw your mother at a bar! She was flirting with this twenty-year-old guy! She was drinking, and who knows what will happen next!"  
  
Kanna stands up and runs, grabbing her backpack without stopping. She stops in an alleyway, leans against the concrete wall slides down. She curls up, and soft cries come out of her, sad, desperate little sobs that no one but Kanna hears.  
  
Kagome is afraid that she will lose Inu Yasha. He is walking slowly, but he turns suddenly, into small private streets. She hopes he is not going home. He walks into a fairground. Kagome pauses to look at the lights where are you going Inu Yasha? and runs to catch up. She slows down when she sees that he has stopped at a soda dispenser. Two? Who is the other soda for? He turns quickly and Kagome runs to catch him.  
  
"Inu Yasha-sama! Slow down!"  
  
She turns the corner and has to stop suddenly. He is waiting for her, holding the other soda out to her. "You must be thirsty; you've been running after me all day." He smiles at her warmly.  
  
Kagome takes the soda slowly, returning his smile with a timid, shy one. She sips the soda and watches him drink thirstily from his can.  
  
Kanna is at the train station, waiting for her train. She looks dully ahead, focusing her eyes on nothing. Her train comes and goes, without Kanna moving from her spot on a bench.  
  
She pulls out her cell phone and calls. "Hi.What are you doing right now?"  
  
Kagome and Inu Yasha are walking around the fair, keeping to the water edge. They stop to look, and talk.  
  
"I always thought it was silly that we never talked, even though we have seen each other every day for three years. No one ever talked to anyone." Kagome looked out across the black water, a happy smile on her face.  
  
Kanna has a tear on her cheek. "It's me.Kanna, Mom." She listens to the other end. "What should I do Mom?" Another tear falls, and Kanna shuts the phone off. "I don't know what I should do."  
  
"But you're brave. I'm not, I'm too shy to do anything."  
  
"No, that's not true. I'm not brave at all." Inu Yasha leans against the rail, resting his head against his folded arms.  
  
"But it is! You gave up your seat for Kanna when the man was touching her!" Kagome puts her hand on his arm, shocked he didn't agree with her.  
  
"But you would have done the same. Any one would have done the same. That's not a big deal. And besides, I've wanted to talk to you for three years, but I didn't have the courage to. I had to wait until you stalked me for a day!"  
  
"No. I was too shy to do anything. And everyone else pretended they didn't see anything." She smiles sweetly when she notices his lips were to the side. "Every good thing you do is important. No matter what you think you made an impression on that person's life, and doing something like that is always brave. And, I have a shyness problem."  
  
Inu Yasha turns his head towards her, a grin on his face. "Like the time you helped that drunk find his station?"  
  
Kagome blushes, and looks down. "You noticed that?"  
  
"Yeah. But you were always doing things like that in preschool."  
  
Kagome turns to look at him shock on her face. He smiles back at her, and nudges her gently to start her walking again.  
  
Kanna looks up at the pedestrian bridge over the railway. She slowly makes her way up the stone stairs.  
  
Kagome and Inu Yasha are in the arcade booth, looking at all the video games, pointing out the interesting ones. They play Whack-a-Mole, Kagome pointing out the moles to Inu Yasha, who holds the mallet. He tries to get her a teddy bear from the claw machines, but she ends up getting a little white puppy for him instead. They play Dance Dance Revolution, laughing so hard at each other's lack of dance moves that they fail. They eat cotton candy together, walking around and looking in amazement at all the rides.  
  
Kanna stands in the middle of the bridge, the train coming racing underneath. She stands a little away from the railing, watching the train speed by underneath her. "I'm so tired." Her voice is thin, weak, and soft. She steps closer to the edge, dropping her backpack onto the floor next to her. "I don't know what I should do." The little red bag falls out, the bottle of bubbles rolling out. Another train roars by, and Kanna steps onto the bottom rail, her school shoes falling off behind her.  
  
"Welcome to the Tokyo Japan Love Expo! Only those people who are engaged can ride this ride, so if you're not, better do it now!" A tired looking woman looks out over the line of couples. Kagome and Inu Yasha smile at each other, and squeeze each other's hands excitedly.  
  
Inu Yasha turns to Kagome, his face suddenly serious. "Kagome," He bends down onto one knee, holding Kagome's hand with both of his, "If you would do me this honor."  
  
Kagome smiles happily down at him.  
  
Kanna looks down at the rails flashing underneath. She looks behind her, and sees a train coming. "I don't know what I should do."  
  
Kagome and Inu Yasha laugh and settle themselves into the ride's carriage. "Are you sure this ride is safe?" Kagome asks Inu Yasha, humor tingeing her voice with a light tone.  
  
"Very sure. I mean, I think it is." Inu Yasha laughs, and holds Kagome's hand with both of his.  
  
The ride starts up, and the cars move in circles. Kagome and Inu Yasha laugh and whoop in joy, pointing out how every color is mixing together. Their eyes cannot tell the difference anymore, and the world mixes into a huge colorful, sound filled streak, racing before their eyes.  
  
Kanna stands over the rail, blowing bubbles at the passing trains a small, content smile on her face. 


End file.
